When you say the word Traghetto in Venice, we think of the one with the Vaporetto (our buses on the water) but there is not only that. There is the Traghetto with a Gondola da Parada! a it is done in different areas of the city. But what does ferry mean? it means crossing a canal in Venice from one bank to another with a boat. This system was created to fill the lack of connections, in this case of a bridge, between the two banks of a Venice canal.
What is it and why we use it
The passage takes place vith a typical wood boat called “Gondola da Parada” that is a wood boat. It s a little simpler and a little wider than a classic gondola. It can carry up to 12/14 people, however remember that with Covid19 the number of people can vary. The closest Traghetto to the Hotel is the one at the Rialto Market, the Santa Sofia which in a few minutes will take you to the Riva where the Strada Nuova is located, one of the most colorful and popular streets in the city.
We still use it a lot because in Venice we do not have classic streets, our streets are canals. The canals are fill up with sea water, when we need to move quickly from a part to the other ot the city, the Traghetto is so usefull.
I use this method as an alternative to motorized Vaporetti, as it is a practical and less polluting system. If you are passing through the city it is worth a try. In Venice you can walk anywhere but it would be a shame to miss the opportunity to get on a Gondola even for a few minutes, at an affordable cost and take a nice photo in the middle of the Grand Canal (the most famous canal in Venice) while boats and vaporettos pass by. … and maybe towards sunset!
Where to take it
Firstly If you do not know Venezia i suggest you to check the website of the municipality of Venice where you will see all the active Stazi (stops) . After that you can check them in an online map and you can also search for them on a search engine, such as Google.
These are the ferries active in Venice and their approximate timetable:
DOGANA ore 9,00 – 18,00
SANTA MARIA DEL GIGLIO ore 9,00 – 18,00
SAN TOMA’
ore 8,30 – 19,00 Mon/Fri
ore 9,00 – 18,30 Sat, Sun and Holidays
CARBON
ore 9,00 – 12,00 Mon/Fri
Sat, Sun & Holidays: closed
SANTA SOFIA
ore 8,30 – 19,00 Mon/Fri
ore 9,00 – 18,00 Sat, Sun and Holidays
Costs and where to buy the ticket
The cost may vary from year to year or according to the season, and normally it is few euros euros. As I wrote previously, it is always better to check the website of the Municipality of Venice for any changes. Especially not to be disappointed.
The ticket must be paid in cash before boarding and, please, prepare your coins.
In conclusion, the service is very convenient. On the practical side it saves time, and on the romantic side … I love crossing the Grand Canal with the fog and the seagulls flying low in the autumn, it feels like living in another era.
Ambra -Hotel San Salvador Team-
